ROUND one of the fight to save Macclesfield Hospital has been won - and it's down to people power.

Thanks to more than 40,000 of you who threw your weight behind the Macclesfield Express's Hands Off Our Hospital campaign, our local district general WILL be included in the list of options for next year's Making It Better public consultation concerning children's inpatient, maternity and neonatal services.

Councillor Muriel Clampett, who was instrumental in setting up the petition, which was launched in October, said: "Well done, our petition has paid off and we have won round one.

"I am absolutely delighted and would urge people to continue supporting the campaign in the New Year when they can have their say in the consultation - this is only the beginning.

"But I want to thank most sincerely everyone who has supported the campaign, either gathering signatures or signing it themselves."

Peter Hayes, former NHS Trust chairman, said: "I am relieved and pleased that the huge effort of so many people, and particularly the Macclesfield Express which week after week relentlessly has kept the pressure up, has led to Macclesfield being put back on the health care map. As regards babies and children, it was a considerable victory.

"Now after Christmas we must redouble our efforts to make Macclesfield part of the preferred option."

Councillor Brendan Murphy said: "It is good news that Macclesfield has now been put back in and this reflects the pressure Sir Nicholas Winterton and the Macclesfield Express put on.

"It's bad news that it is not in the preferred option but we now have an uphill battle to make sure people change their minds.

"We need to keep up the public pressure, if the people of Macclesfield continue to sustain the level of support to Sir Nicholas and the Express we can succeed. We have won one battle but not the war."

Sir Nicholas Winterton, MP for Macclesfield, said: "To have option A as the preferred option is unacceptable and grossly unfair, we will not accept it.

"Every hospital listed under option A is an urban hospital serving an urban area.

"However, I am relieved that at least Macclesfield has been written back into one option, we are the only district general that serves a predominantly rural area - not only South and East Cheshire but also North and West Staffordshire and North West Derbyshire.

"We are at a disadvantage already but we will build an unassailable case and we can do it."

At a meeting held in public, representatives from the 17 Primary Care Trusts involved in the review agreed on four options for change and voted to include the inpatient children's and maternity unit at Macclesfield in one option and the maternity unit and neonatal intensive care unit at Hope Hospital in another.

The committee confirmed their preferred option with care centred on the eight sites - St Mary's, Royal Albert Edward Hospital in Wigan, Royal Bolton, Stepping Hill in Stockport, Royal Oldham, Wythenshawe, North Manchester and Tameside.

In this option neonatal intensive care units would be at St Mary's, Bolton and Oldham.

A fourth option based on inpatient services at seven sites was also agreed and will go to public consultation.

Gary Raphael, Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust's acting chief executive, said at a previous meeting members had asked for further information to support the inclusion of Macclesfield and Hope Hospitals in the options for public consultation.

Speaking after the latest joint committee meeting he said: "I am pleased to be able to report that following the production of the necessary information the committee agreed that Macclesfield Hospital will be included in an option for formal public consultation. I must emphasise that Macclesfield Hospital is not the preferred option but nevertheless it is now possible for people in East Cheshire to debate the issues, have their say and put forward alternative ideas.

"Although this phase of work has focussed on inpatient, children's and maternity services, the next stage will also cover improvements in local services which are required to support children and mothers in their own homes and communities."

John Wilbraham, East Cheshire NHS Trust's Chief Executive, said: "We are delighted that Macclesfield Hospital has been successful in being reinstated.

"It is now included in one of the options which will be put forward for formal public consultation in January.

"All views lodged during the public consultation will help shape the future of your local healthcare services and we would encourage and welcome your input."

The proposals will now be published in a consultation document and the formal public consultation starts on Thursday, January 12, running until April 13, 2006.

Public meetings will be held throughout this period, details of which will be made available in January 2006.